A Different First Meeting
by Copper's Mama
Summary: Sam/Andy fic, as though she'd believed him when he told her who he was. Please read and review! *Now finished!*
1. Chapter 1

_..._

_A Sam/Andy fic._

_..._

_Disclaimer: Nope, don't own Rookie Blue. I promise. _

_..._

_A/N: Wow ... thanks for all the reviews, favorites, and alerts for my other stories, guys! You're amazing! You make me wanna keep writing and writing and writing! _

_Alright, this one comes from the idea that, what if Andy had believed Sam when he told her he was a cop. This one'll be a couple chapters long. _

_I hope you guys like this, I know I'll love writing it. _

_As always, please read and review, I live for feedback! _

...

She had them by the fence, but he knew that he couldn't let her arrest him. She was new - that was why she didn't know who he was. But he couldn't exactly explain the situation in front of Pedro.

The second she put her gun away, he made a run for it, charging through the alley. He thought he might actually get away, but she was fast. She caught him after only twenty feet, tackling him to the ground.

He grunted in pain from the contact on the ground. Through the pain, he could feel her hand on his chest, holding him down.

"Don't move!" she shouted to Pedro- as though the simple power of her voice could keep him from jumping ship and leaving him there. "Get back to the fence, right now!"

"You don't wanna do this," Sam told her in a quiet voice.

"Shut up!" she replied, turning him over.

"Trust me, ah!" he groaned, his body still sore. "I'm serious, you gotta trust me here, okay?"

"Shut up," was all that she said in response. "Resisting arrest, fleeing the scene," she listed off, her hands sliding down to check him. If the situation weren't so dire, he'd make a comment about her feeling him up. She then found the drugs in his pocket. "Ah. Possession." She continued checking him, turning him over despite his calls of protest. "Where's the gun?"

"I don't have a gun," he told her quietly, glancing back at Pedro. "I'm _on the job_."

Andy opened her mouth to tell him 'not anymore', but something stopped her. She'd heard that phrase before ... her father had told her about it. "What?" she asked him, hoping that he wasn't saying what she thought he was saying.

Sam clenched his jaw. "I'm a cop. I'm working undercover, through the 15th division," he explained. "You arrest me, you destroy eight months of undercover work."

Andy's hand gripped the cuffs she'd placed on him, struggling between the two choices. "Dammit," she whispered, panting heavily. "How do I know you're telling the truth?"

"Well, you could just _trust_ me," he tried.

Andy shook her head. "No ... you say you're out of the 15th?"

He nodded. "Yeah, but I'm on loan with the drug squad."

Andy chewed on her bottom lip. "Who's the staff sergeant in charge?" she quizzed him.

Sam rolled his eyes nearly all the way into the back of his head. "Boyco," he told her. "Happy?"

Andy didn't let go of the handcuffs, but knew that he'd given her the right answer. At the very least, that proved he was familiar with the officers at that division.

Sam groaned again. "Look, Bambi, we don't exactly have time to discuss this all day. You need to let me go."

Andy looked over her shoulder at the guy who was attempting to get away again. "Hey, back on the fence, now!" she ordered him. He quickly complied. Looking back at him, she nodded her head. "Okay, what's your name?"

"Why?" he asked her.

"So I can confirm your story once I get back to the station," she informed him.

He rolled his eyes, but answered, "Sam Swarek." He glanced at her uniform. "McNally?"

She nodded. "Yeah, but it's Andy, not Bambi."

"We'll see," Sam told her. "Look, you can't just let me up, he'll know something's up."

Andy sighed worriedly, her breath still coming in short pants. "Well, what do you suggest?"

He gave her a pointed look.

"Oh," Andy spoke softly. "Right, of course."

Sam felt bad for her. She was clearly a rookie, and her training officer had left her to the wolves. "Look, I'll go easy -"

Andy shook her head. "No, you gotta make it look real."

_She's a trooper, I'll give her that,_ Sam thought. "Alright ... ready?"

Andy took a couple quick breaths, then looked down at him. "Okay ... front or back?"

Sam answered, "On my back."

Andy nodded, carefully sliding the key for the handcuffs into his hand. "Okay ... I'm ready.

That was all the warning that she had, as a second later, his legs came up to push her off of him.

She fell to the side, but knew that it had to look more real than that. She stood back up with him, and made a show of trying to grab him again.

Sam whispered, "Sorry," before his leg came around once more. He aimed for her chest, but he caught a bit of her chin, causing her to shout out in real pain. "Shit!" he whispered when she went down.

Andy crouched on the ground, holding her jaw. "Just go," she told him in a quiet, but gruff voice.

He threw one last look at Pedro who was watching the scene lay out before him, and then he took off down the alley.

Andy got to her feet, her jaw throbbing. She turned to see the other guy running down the alley, the opposite way that Swarek had gone. She sighed, making her way back to the building. _I'm gonna have a lot of explaining to do ... _

...

All in all, the day hadn't gone as horrible as she'd thought it would. An anonymous tip had been phoned in, telling them about another suspect. When Andy had gone to try and find the abandoned gun, she'd found him, and had arrested him. Her training officer had gotten trouble for leaving her on her own, but when they'd brought in the suspect, things had smoothed over a little.

Andy had indeed confirmed that Sam Swarek was an undercover cop, and Boyco had commended her for letting him "do what he had to do" to get away.

She had planned on meeting her friends at the Black Penny for a drink, but ended up just calling it a night after her shift. She just wanted to relax and think about making it through the next day.

She was pulled out of her thoughts by the buzzer, signaling that someone wanted her to let them into the apartment building. "Who is it?" she asked, letting go of the button.

After a short pause, a voice answered, "Your tackle dummy."

She recognized his voice, wondering what he was doing her apartment. "What are you doing here?"

"Do you think we could have this conversation inside?"

She figured it wouldn't be good for him to be seen outside her apartment, so she buzzed him in, and then waited. It wasn't long before he knocked at her door. Andy opened the door for him, allowing him to step in quickly. "So, this isn't breaking your cover?" she wondered.

Sam grinned a little. "I know how to lose a tail, even if I was being followed. Besides, no one would know what apartment I was coming into."

Andy nodded.

"Anyway, I didn't really come over here to talk about that," he told her.

"Then what did you come here for?"

Sam looked around at her apartment. "Nice place."

Andy sighed, waiting.

"Look, I just wanted to see if you were okay, alright?" he informed her. "Things got kind of out of hand, and I wanted to make I sure I didn't hurt you ... too badly."

Andy's expression softened quickly. "Don't worry, I'm fine. I'm sorry for chasing you down."

Sam shrugged his shoulders. "You were just doing your job. Your training officer never should have left you. Besides, my cover didn't get blown, so everything worked out for the best."

"Well, I'm happy about that," Andy admitted. There was a long moment of silence, where the two just stared at each other, until finally Andy spoke again. "Can I get you something to drink?"

He slid off his jacket, slipping it over the back of a chair. "Sure. You got a beer?"

Andy nodded, smiling as she moved into the kitchen.

...

_End of chapter one. _

_So, what do you guys think so far? _

_Like it, hate it? _

_Reviews are appreciated, flame if you must, but constructive criticism is much more useful ._

_Until next time ...! _


	2. Chapter 2

_..._

_A Sam/Andy fic. _

_Chapter Two. _

_..._

_Disclaimer: See Ch. 1._

_..._

_A/N: Thanks for all the great reviews on my stories so far, including this one as well! You guys rock! _

_I'll just add an extra side-note about this fic, as I wasn't able to reply to all of the reviews: I think that we can all agree that MOST of Sam's original animosity towards Andy was because she blew his cover. Considering that this story is about what would happen if she HADN'T blown his cover, I have no trouble seeing him acting completely different around her. Sam's relationships with the other characters in the show, specifically Emily in episode 2, confirms that he can be a very caring person. He was very much concerned for Emily's safety, and given the expression on his face when he saw that they'd beat her up, I can easily see him finding out where Andy lived to make sure she was okay (in this fic), especially considering he was the one who "hurt" her. _

_That being said, I absolutely love how they are doing it on the show. Opposites attract, love/hate relationships ... much more sexy. Plus, if she hadn't blown his cover, we never would have gotten that love little show in the locker room ... yummy. _

_Alrighty, now that that's out of the way, let's get on with the next chapter!_

_I'm happy you guys liked the first part, hopefully you'll keep liking it! _

_As always, please read and review, I live for feedback!_

...

Just over two weeks later, Sam was finally able to close the case against Anton Hill. With evidence from one of his informants, and a couple witnesses that he was able to convince to testify, his almost nine months of undercover work had finally paid off. Hill was going away for a long time, and his operations were being shut down left, right, and center.

Unfortunately, protecting his informant had caused Sam to break his cover, and now most of the bad guys on the street had gotten word that he was a cop. The 'drug squad' had sent him back to working his regular shifts, putting him in uniform once again.

When he got back, he had requested to be Andy's permanent training officer. He'd had to pull some strings, but eventually Boyco had allowed it, deciding that they were a good fit, and that they would compliment each other as a duo.

They had developed a certain kind of flirty banter, but it wasn't until another couple weeks - after Detective Callaghan had made several passes at her - that Sam made a move and asked her out on an official date - not just drinks after work like they normally did. She gave him a little hesitancy, seeing as he was her training officer, but she couldn't deny her attraction for him.

She'd spent the entire day wondering what a date with him would be like. She entertained several notions: a fancy restaurant, or a movie perhaps. She considered that he might take her to a bar, but a more private/intimate setting than the Black Penny. Whatever it was that he was planning, she could barely conceal her excitement. She had to, though, considering he was still her training officer, and she was still a rookie.

When he told her to dress casual for their date, she threw out the fancy restaurant idea. Not that it bothered her ... she didn't want their to be any awkwardness on the date, and she couldn't exactly see the two of them sipping wine and chatting about the finer points of their day with dozens of other couples around.

Finally, their shift came to an end. They went their separate ways, planning for him to pick her up at her place in an hour.

Andy recalled that the dress was meant to be casual, so she eventually settled on a black pair of cargo pants and a tight, blue t-shirt ... which just so happened to be low-cut. Not that she was planning on throwing herself at him or anything ... she just didn't want there to be any confusion about her feelings for him.

The entire car ride was very secretive, and Andy found herself trying to think of what he was trying to spring on her that he looked so cocky about.

"Come on, you've gotta give me something," she insisted, her curiosity getting the better of her.

Sam smiled with a twinkle in his eyes before he leaned across the car, kissing her just by the corner of her mouth. He pulled back before she could react, his eyes returning to the road. "That's all you're getting out of me until we get there, Bambi," Sam assured her.

It had become a pet name of sorts, used only when they were alone. The kiss had done its purpose, effectively silencing her.

The ride continued in humored silence.

...

"Paintball?" Andy questioned.

Sam nodded, sliding on his gear. "Yep."

Andy couldn't help smiling. She could honestly say that no guy had ever done that for a first date. "Hence the casual clothes?"

"Well, I wouldn't want you tripping over some slinky dress, would you?"

Andy scoffed, confident that she could take him with or without a dress. That put a certain image into her mind, and she had to tell herself to focus. She geared herself up, sliding on all of the protective gear he'd got for them. They were teamed up against another pair - two males - and were given a map of the course.

They moved through the grass and trees, making their way to the firing zone, which resembled that of an obstacle course. The green hue from the night vision goggles made everything surrealistic, but all the more exciting.

Andy admitted to herself that, while unconventional, the date was starting to look like a lot of fun. She found herself wondering what a second date with him would entail.

It started getting hairy when a few paintballs barely missed them, making them seek shelter in a tunnel. They moved through, following the map to see where they would come out.

"Well, is this everything you imagined?" Sam asked from behind her as they moved along the tunnel.

Andy snorted, crawling along the metal surface. "And then some."

"I do aim to please," he replied, not hating the position he'd found himself in.

"I'm sure you do." Andy paused after a moment, glancing up. "Hey, there's a gap in the roof of the tunnel. I think we could squeeze out here," she told him. "It's not on the map, so the others won't know to try and ambush us here. What do you think?"

"Sounds like a plan," Sam answered.

Andy turned over in the tunnel, facing Sam before raising herself up to peek out of opening.

"Get back down here!" Sam told her in a hushed whisper.

She pulled her head back into the tunnel just in time for him to knock her down, falling on top of her. "What is it?" Andy asked from beneath him.

"I heard someone out there," he answered in a quiet voice.

Andy strained her ears, trying to hear what he had. "Are you sure?"

He only nodded his head, staring down at her.

"They might have stopped, and are waiting for us to move," Andy supplied, wondering if there was actually someone out there.

Sam slid his night-vision goggles off of his head, setting them down beside her head. "Then we should probably be really quiet. Until they go away, at least."

Andy nodded her head at his logic, pulling off her own goggles. It took some time for her eyes to adjust, but eventually she could see him looking down at her.

They were both actively aware of their position, and how their bodies pressed against each other with every breath that they took. Andy saw Sam's tongue poke out to wet his lips before his head began to dip, and she barely had time to draw in a breath through parted lips, before his mouth caressed hers, sending shivers throughout her body.

...

They ended up losing the paintball war. After a lengthy make out session, they'd practically stumbled out of the tunnel, their laughter and distractedness giving them away.

They didn't care too much, though, as the evening had still been fun.

Afterwards, he brought her back to his place, telling her that he was going to make her dinner. She found a perch on the indented corner of the counter, watching as he prepared the food - which he wouldn't let her help him make.

They chatted back and forth about random experiences that they could relate to, and delved a little into their families and life growing up. Andy changed the subject whenever it hit too close to home, not wanting to talk about her mom's death, or her dad's drinking. So, they settled on a lighter topic: why they'd each become cops.

By the time supper was ready, Andy felt as though she'd gotten to know Sam in a whole new way. She had a sense that her streak of always choosing the wrong guy was finally coming to an end.

"Oh, my god," she told him, nearly devouring the pasta. "This is phenomenal."

Sam grinned, happy that she liked his cooking.

"Where did you learn how to cook like this?" she wondered.

He shrugged. "Undercover work is pretty boring most of the time."

Andy raised her eyebrows in response, slowing down her bites. "Well, I'd say you certainly put the time to good use."

"Well, I'm happy you approve, Bambi."

Andy smiled. She secretly hoped that she was the only one he had a nickname for.

After dinner she helped him clean up, and the two shared a beer before Andy figured it was time to call it a night. She wanted the night to keep going, but knew that if it continued on the path it was, it would likely end in his bed - as much as she wanted that, she figured she should pace herself. She didn't want to end up ruining this relationship by rushing into it blind.

"Thanks for tonight," Andy told him when they pulled up to her place. "It was fun."

Sam smiled, stepping out of the car with her. "It certainly had its moments."

Andy almost blushed, remembering their activities in the paintball tunnel. "Well, the meal was great too. Sometime I'll have to cook for you."

His smile grew even wider, walking with her up the steps to her building. "It's a date."

Andy pulled her keys out of her pocket, fiddling with them in her hand. She looked up at him to say something else, but found herself unable to speak when his mouth fell upon hers once again. She rose on the balls of her feet, wrapping one hand around his neck while the other rested on his arm, goose bumps breaking out on her skin from the shivers running through her.

He pulled away after a minute, his eyes looking dazed for a moment before that grin returned to his face. "Goodnight, McNally."

Andy replied with a smile, "And you, Swarek."

He looked as though he wanted to say something else, but then nodded his head shortly and moved back down the steps.

Andy watched him get into his car before she worked the key into the lock, making her way up the steps to her apartment. After the door was locked behind her, she slid down to the floor, squealing with happiness. She couldn't wait until the beginning of her shift tomorrow ... everything was falling into place.

...

_End of chapter two. _

_Alright, that one came out a lot fluffier than I intended, but hopefully it'll work out. It'll lead into the next chapter, so it's all good on that front. _

_What did you guys think? Like it, hate it? _

_Reviews are appreciated, flame if you must, but constructive criticism is much more useful. _

_Until next time ...! _


	3. Chapter 3

_..._

_A Sam/Andy fic. _

_Chapter Three. _

_..._

_Disclaimer: See Ch. 1. _

_..._

_A/N: Thanks for the amazing feedback, guys. You're amazing! _

_I'll respond to some reviews here: _

_**breverson:**__ That would be a dream come true ... combining two of my favorite things in the world: writing and television. _

_**alicia:**__ I'm glad that you're enjoying the story, and THANK YOU for pointing out the typo. I hate when that happens, especially when I had to re-watch the first scene on youtube to get the name of the bar for another fic, and then I screwed it up in this one. Grr. Anywhoo, thanks for pointing that out! _

_**laurzz:**__ Wouldn't it be nice if we could all have Sam ... he's just so yummy! Lol, thanks for the review, I'm glad you're liking the story! _

_**talk2much13:**__ Thanks, I'm glad you like it. I can see things like this happening too - mostly because I have an extremely overactive imagination - but it would be kind of boring if they had gotten together this fast on the show. Oh well, that's what fanfic is for! _

_**Everyone else:**__ Thanks for reading and reviewing, you make me want to never stop writing! _

_Alright, let's get on with the story! _

_I think there's only going to be a couple chapters left, I don't want to make this into a huge fic. _

_I hope you guys like this, I know I'll love writing it. _

_As always, please read and review, I live for feedback! _

...

Sam and Andy walked along the street, having just come back from a movie.

"Come on, it wasn't _that_ terrible," Andy insisted, grinning at him.

"Oh, I'm pretty sure it was," he corrected. "Next time we go see a movie, you do not get to pick."

Andy pouted, batting her eyes at him.

Sam rolled his eyes, continuing their trek down the street to his car.

Andy sighed dramatically. "Okay, so maybe it was a _little_ chick-flick-ish, but it's better than the blood and gore, _'action'_ one that you wanted to see."

"There's nothing wrong with a little ... action," he informed her, waggling his eyebrows.

She snorted, allowing him to curve his arm around her waist as they walked.

They reached his car, and Sam reached forward to open the passenger door for her - but he didn't get that far. A second later, a gun was shoved in his face.

"'Sup, Sammy?" the man holding the gun inquired, glaring at the two of them.

The two of them tensed, taking in their situation.

Sam recognized the man as one of Anton Hill's guys, one that hadn't been found when they'd been arresting everyone. "Think about what you're doing here, Jimmy. You're holding a gun on a police officer. This is not going to end well for you."

Jimmy shook his head. "It doesn't matter. People want you dead, man. And if I kill you, I get what I need."

They could clearly see that he was strung out.

"Look, there's other ways of solving this," Andy tried, but Jimmy moved the gun to her next.

"You're not a part of this, lady. Just back off!"

Sam moved closer to Jimmy, pulling Andy behind him. "Hey, come on, man. I'm the one you want, right? So just point the gun at me, and we can talk about this."

"Sam, no," Andy began, trying to move around him.

Their sudden movements caused Jimmy to tense up, pulling the trigger. The shot rang out, and a second later, one of them hit the ground.

...

"What do we got?" the doctor asked, moving with the paramedics as the gurney was rolled in.

"Single gunshot wound to the shoulder," the paramedic relayed, giving the victim's stats and identity.

"Alright, we've got it now," the doctor informed him, and her team took over. "Tell them to prep the OR, we gotta move."

One of the nurses saw the other person standing there with blood on their hands. "Do you need help?" she asked.

Andy shook her head. "No, it's not my blood. I was ... I was with him when it happened."

The nurse nodded. "Okay, well, lets find somewhere for you to get cleaned up."

"No," Andy replied, trying to move past her. "I need to make sure he's okay."

The nurse held her back. "You can't go in there, they need to work on him. We'll let you know as soon as we know anything," she assured the distraught woman. "Do you think you can fill out some forms?"

Andy didn't want to, but she forced herself to focus. "Yeah, okay."

The nurse brought out admission and insurance forms, handing them to Andy. "Okay, now I need to know your relationship to the man who was shot. Are you married?"

Andy shook her head again. "No, he's my bo ... he's my partner. We're police officers, out of the 15th," Andy told her. She looked down at the forms. "I need to ... I should call this in."

The nurse nodded sadly as Andy pulled her cell phone out of her pocket, forgetting all about Sam's blood covering her hands.

She blinked her eyes, and a flash of him standing in front of her while the man pulled the trigger filled her eyes. Andy forced her eyes back open, trying not to cry as she dialed the number for the precinct.

"This is Officer McNally ... I need to report an officer-involved shooting."

...

Andy paced back and forth in the waiting room, desperate for any information about Sam. She'd given the nurse all the information that she could, but now all that she could do was wait.

She'd called Tracy after she'd hung up with Boyco, and her friend had come to the hospital as soon as she could. Detective Barber was there as well, as were several other officers from the 15th. Andy told them that she and Sam had been discussing Anton Hill's upcoming trial when Jimmy had attacked them. Jerry and Tracy knew better, but they hadn't ratted them out, as they two were in a relationship that was frowned upon, despite the fact that he wasn't her training officer. She only hoped that she'd be able to relay their "cover story" to Sam before any of the other officers went in to see him. Assuming he made it out of this.

_He'll be fine!_ Andy told herself, over and over. She needed to believe that he would be okay.

...

_End of chapter three. _

_I know, it's really short, but I just had to leave it with a little cliffy. _

_So, what did you guys think? Like it, hate it? _

_Reviews are appreciated, flame if you must, but constructive criticism is much more useful. _

_Until next time ...! _


	4. Chapter 4

_..._

_A Sam/Andy fic. _

_Chapter Four. _

_..._

_Disclaimer: See Ch. 1. _

_..._

_A/N: Major Announcement: Rookie Blue has been picked up for a second season! *Screams with joy*! Thank you ____ for telling me this. As soon as I got your review, I went to google to confirm, and THERE IT WAS! YAY! _

_Okay, now that the happy dance is done ... _

_Thanks for the speedy reviews, guys! You rock! _

_Alright, I won't let you sweat with a lengthy author's note, so let's just get on with it, shall we?_

_I hope you guys like this, I know I'll love writing it. _

_As always, please read and review, I live for feedback! _

...

Andy sat in one of the few remaining chairs in the crowded waiting room, her head dropped into her hands. She kept running over the events of the night, trapped in a loop inside her mind.

She hadn't wanted him to take a bullet for her, but by struggling with him, he had done just that. Jimmy had shot him, and now there was a chance he might die. All because of her. She tried to tell herself not to think like that; that it wasn't her fault he had come after Sam. But she couldn't help thinking that she could have done something differently. Something more than getting him shot.

She heard a commotion, and saw the other officers in the room moving towards someone.

"I will answer all of your questions, but right now I need to speak to the woman who admitted him," the doctor was telling them. "Ms. McNally?"

Andy wiped at her eyes, making her way to the doctor. "Yes?" She waited with little patience for the doctor to tell her what had happened - if he was okay or not.

"We managed to stabilize him and stop the bleeding. He's been moved to a recovery room," the doctor told him.

Andy exhaled quickly in relief. "So, he's gonna be okay?"

She nodded with a smile. "Eventually, yes. Now, he does need his rest. He'll be awake in a little over an hour, and you can see him them. But only one person at a time."

Andy nodded, knowing she'd fight tooth and nail to be the first person in that room.

The doctor gave her his room number, and then left to attend to her other patients.

Andy clenched her hands at her sides, blinking her eyes repeatedly to compose herself. She turned to look at the other officers, who were smiling with relief. Boyco nodded his head at her, turning towards his radio. Her eyes connected with Tracy, who was giving her a look that said, "you should be happy", and finally Andy had to get out of there.

She excused herself to the bathroom, finding an empty stall and shutting the door. Alone in the sanctity of the cubicle, the tears fell freely from Andy's eyes, causing her body to wrack back and forth. She should be happy, she should be thrilled that he was going to be okay ... but all she could think about was, _what would I do if he had died?_ She couldn't bear the thought of him dying. Her whimpers echoed in the room, and the other woman in the bathroom finished hurriedly and left Andy alone. She whimpered helplessly, her palm smacking against the metal stall.

She was in there for almost twenty minutes, but finally she had calmed down enough to be around the others outside. She cleaned herself up and returned to the waiting room, prepared to answer any questions about what had taken her so long.

Most of the other cops had gone, and all that remained now were Tracy, Jerry, and Boyco. Tracy handed her a cup of coffee, immediately pulling her into a conversation to pull her away from the others' focus. Boyco and Jerry began talking about something away from them.

As soon as the hour mark had come, Andy sat up from her seat, making her way to the room the doctor had told her. She hovered in the doorway for a moment before she made her way over to his bed.

She wasn't used to seeing him like this. Lying there, so still, attached to a heart monitor and IV line. The only thing that reassured her was the blip-blip-blip of the heart monitor, and the steady rise and fall of his chest.

Holding herself together, she moved to the chair by his bed, sitting tenderly on the cushioned seat. Her fingers were linked together in her lap, and she casually slid them apart to bring one hand up to his forehead, tenderly brushing the skin and stroking through his hair.

Flashes of the shooting ran through her mind again, and she whimpered uncontrollably.

"That you, Bambi?" his voice asked her.

Andy looked back up at his face to see his eyes opening, and his head turning to look at her.

"Hey," she replied quietly, trying to keep a handle on her emotions. _Thank god he's okay._

Sam tried to shift so that he could see her better, but quickly realized that it wasn't the best idea. "So, that's a bullet in my shoulder," he commented.

Andy shook her head with a sad smile. "Well, actually they got the bullet out, and you - you're - you're gonna be okay," she finished, sniffling as a tear leaked out of her eye and down her cheek.

Lifting his right arm - the uninjured one - he brought his hand up to brush the tear off of her face. "I'm fine. No need for tears."

She nodded, chewing on her bottom lip with her brown furrowed. "I know ... it's stupid, and I'm sorry. I know it's only been a couple months, and you pulled through and all ... but if anything had happened to you, I don't think I could ..." She couldn't finish.

The pad of his thumb continued to trace circles over her skin, sliding down until his hand softly gripped her chin. He waited until she stopped her rambling, waited until she looked into his eyes. He tugged her towards him with his fingers delicately placed around her chin, bringing her towards him. Sam could taste the salt from tears shed on her lips, and tried to kiss her pain away.

Andy brought her right hand up, placing it on the side of his face, as though she were holding onto him for dear life.

She was the first to pull away, breaking the kiss to lay her forehead against his.

"It's all gonna be okay," he assured her.

Andy nodded, closing her eyes and just breathing him in.

A voice from behind them caused Andy to jump. "I hate to break up this love-fest, but Boyco wants to come in and talk to Sam," Tracy relayed.

Andy ran a hand through her hair, wishing she could have stayed with him longer. She thanked Tracy, and then turned back to look at Sam. "Um, I told him that we had met up to discuss Hill's trial," Andy explained, so that he would play along and not accidentally reveal their relationship.

Sam nodded. "Okay. You should probably get going."

Andy didn't want to leave, her hand returning to his face. She leaned over and stole another kiss before turning sharply and leaving the room.

...

Sam had recovered in a timely fashion, returning to work a few weeks later. Andy was thrilled that he was coming back, as she was anxious to have him as her training officer/partner again. She'd missed him, even though she'd visited him every day in the hospital, and he'd spent a good deal of his recuperating time at her apartment.

They'd tracked down Jimmy and arrested him, adding attempted murder of a police officer to the list of charges he'd already been facing, as one of Anton Hill's thugs.

She sat in the briefing room with the others, waiting for Boyco to pair everyone off. When it came to her, a smile had almost reached her face when Boyco informed her that she would be paired with Officer Williams that day.

Andy glanced at Sam in confusion, wondering why she wasn't assigned to him. A minute later, Boyco assigned Chris to train with Sam, and then everyone else was dismissed.

Andy glanced at Sam before following Boyco out of the room. "Sir, can I have a minute?"

Boyco nodded shortly, pausing outside the door. "What is it, McNally?"

"Well, with Sa- Officer Swarek being back on active duty, I was wondering why I wasn't paired up with him. I thought that he was my permanent training officer, and -"

Boyco cut her off, holding his hand up. "I assumed you were aware that it is against the rules for a rookie to date their training officer."

Andy blinked in surprise. _How did he find out?_ "Sir, I -"

Boyco shrugged, moving on. "You have your assignment, McNally. I suggest you get to work."

Andy watched him walk away, feeling her heart plummeting within her.

"Hey, Bambi," Sam spoke from behind her.

Andy whirled around, looking at him with concern etched all over her face. "Boyco knows about us!" she told him in a panicked whisper.

Sam smirked, humor in his eyes. "I know."

"How can you be so calm about this?" she wanted to know.

He explained, "Because I'm the one that told him."

Andy gaped at him. "What? Why?"

He sighed, pulling her down an empty hallway. "Look, we make a good team, and you're a great partner, but -"

"But you're sick of me already?" Andy finished, her face falling.

Sam rolled his eyes, shaking his head. "No, McNally," he corrected. "We just can't take this relationship any further until it becomes official. Which is why I told Boyco to reassign you. I just didn't tell him that we had already been seeing each other."

Realization set in, and a small smile graced Andy's features. "So, you're not ending things?"

"No," he assured her, holding back a chuckle. "Definitely not."

Andy smiled even bigger. She glanced around her, seeing that there were a couple people who were within eyesight of them.

Sam quirked an eyebrow at her, almost challenging.

Andy stepped forwards and pulled him down for a extended, breath-taking kiss, her eyes alight with fire when she pulled away.

"Now, get back to work," he told her with faux authority. "You have a big night ahead of you."

Andy grinned in anticipation, imagining all that was in store for her. She was going to miss having him as her partner, but going public was definitely worth it. She might even get up the courage to tell him that she loved him.

...

_The end. _

_Well, I thought about making it a bit longer, but I like where it is now. If I add anything more, it would be in a sequel. _

_So, what did you guys think? Like it, hate it? _

_Reviews are appreciated, flame if you must, but constructive criticism is much more useful. _

_Until next time ...! _


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